Havana did not speak again. She only lifted her hand slightly, a quiet dismissal. "You can go."
The spy bowed at once and stepped back, careful not to make unnecessary noise as he left the chamber. The door closed behind him with a soft click that seemed louder than it should have.
Silence followed.
Not the peaceful kind. Havana remained standing where she was, her gaze fixed ahead, though she saw nothing in front of her. Her thoughts moved elsewhere, circling something she had not wanted to revisit.
Maria.
For a long moment, she said nothing, did nothing. Then slowly, she began to pace.
Each step measured. Each breath controlled. "Could this be it?" she murmured under her breath. Her mind drifted back.
Maria standing in that hall for the first time. Defiant. Unbending. A girl who had everything to lose, yet chose to walk into enemy ground without hesitation.
And now this.
Havana's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is this why you came?" she whispered. "Not for justice, not for belief, but for him?"
The thought settled uneasily. Because if that was true, then this was not just a political problem. It was something far more dangerous.
Emotion. And emotion ruined kingdoms faster than swords ever could.
She stopped pacing. Decision came quietly, but firmly. Without wasting another moment, Havana turned and left her chamber.
The corridors of the castle were already alive with movement. Guards stood at their posts. Servants moved quickly, avoiding her gaze as she passed. No one stopped her. No one dared.
She walked straight to Drexo's chamber. She did not knock gently the first time. Her knuckles tapped the door once.
No response.
Her expression did not change. She knocked again, harder this time. From inside, a low grumble followed. "Who is there?"
"Havana, Your Grace."
There was a shift behind the door. A pause. Then Drexo's voice came again, softer now. "Come back later, Aunty. I am still sleeping."
Havana did not move. For a brief second, silence stretched between them.
Then her voice cut through it. "No, Your Grace. What I have must be discussed now."
Another pause. Longer this time. Then movement. The sound of footsteps. A latch shifting. The door opened.
Drexo stood there, his eyes heavy with sleep, his hair slightly disordered. For a moment, he looked less like a king and more like a man who had not rested.
Havana took that in without comment. "How come you are still sleeping at this time?" she asked.
Drexo hesitated..Just for a second. Havana saw it. A faint smile touched her lips. "I suppose you were awake all night."
Drexo nodded slowly. "Yes, Aunt. I was attending to royal matters."
The lie came out too easily. Too quickly.
Havana's smile faded. She stepped closer, her gaze locking onto his. "You were awake all night," she said quietly, "having sex with Maria in the forest." The words landed hard.
Drexo froze.
Whatever sleep had clung to him vanished instantly. His body stiffened, his eyes sharpening as shock replaced fatigue.
"How… how did you know that?" he asked.
Havana did not answer immediately. Instead, she walked past him into the chamber as though she owned it, her presence filling the space without effort.
"How long?" she asked, turning to face him.
Drexo remained near the door for a moment, then slowly closed it behind him.
He hesitated.
"Since the day she arrived at King's City," he said finally. "For my engagement."
Havana's jaw tightened. That long. Longer than she had feared. "You know this is wrong," she said, her voice low but firm. "By every standard we hold."
Drexo nodded. "We know," he replied. "But we love each other."
The simplicity of it almost made her laugh. Her fist clenched at her side. "You are a king," she said, her voice sharpening. "Love is not your primary duty."
She stepped closer and reached up, placing her hand against his cheek. Not gently. Not harshly. Just enough to hold his attention.
"Do you think I married Razi for love?" she asked.
Drexo said nothing. "Do you think your father married your mother for love?" she continued.
Still nothing.
Havana dropped her hand and turned away. "You are a king," she repeated. "What you are doing with that young woman is not noble."
Silence stretched.
Then she spoke again. "You must end this with her."
Drexo shook his head almost immediately. "That will not be easy," he said. "We are attached."
Havana turned sharply, irritation flashing across her face. "Attached?" she echoed. "You are engaged to Friya Kenwool."
Her voice rose slightly.
"This is not just a personal mistake. It is an insult. To her. To her house."
Drexo moved further into the room, then sank onto the edge of his bed. His shoulders dropped slightly, the weight of everything pressing down on him at once.
"I understand," he said quietly. "But I love Maria." He lifted his head, meeting Havana's gaze again.
"She has sacrificed everything for me," he continued. "She abandoned her house. She fought for me when no one else would. She stood beside me when I had nothing."
His voice steadied. "She is the reason the world fears me now."
Havana shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "The world fears you because you are destined to be king."
She took a step toward him. "They fight for you because they believe in you. You win because the gods favor you."
Another step. "And because the Kenwools stand with you."
That last part hung in the air. Sharp, and unavoidable. "You must end this," she said again.
Drexo exhaled slowly, then leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as his hands covered his face.
"I have gone too far," he muttered. "I cannot leave her now."
Havana's patience snapped. "Do you know what will happen if you break faith with the Kenwools?" she demanded.
Drexo did not answer. He did not need to. She let out a frustrated breath, then forced herself to calm.
When she spoke again, her voice was softer. But no less firm. "They will withdraw their army."
She stepped closer, lowering herself slightly so she could meet his gaze directly.."And we cannot afford that.".Her eyes held his.
"They make up half of our strength." The weight of that settled slowly into the room.
Drexo removed his hands from his face and stared at the ground for a moment. "That will not be an easy decision," he said quietly.
Havana studied him. Then, slowly, she crouched in front of him. "If Maria truly loves you," she said, her tone measured, "she will understand."
Drexo looked up at her. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes.
Uncertainty, conflict.
Then he nodded slowly. "I will do my best," he said.
And though the words were spoken, neither of them looked entirely convinced.